Recruitment fills a broad range of roles, often with active applicants and a contingent pay-on-hire fee. Executive search targets senior leadership, works confidentially, and proactively headhunts passive candidates through a retained, research-led process. Recruitment is volume- and speed-oriented; executive search is precision- and discretion-oriented for high-stakes hires.
Standard recruitment handles the bulk of hiring across junior to mid-senior roles. It draws on job ads, inbound applicants, and active talent pools, and is often contingent — the agency is paid when a candidate is hired. The emphasis is on filling roles efficiently and at reasonable cost, frequently for multiple positions at once.
Executive search is reserved for leadership and other critical roles. It is confidential, retained, and proactive: the firm headhunts proven leaders who are not applying, assesses them deeply, and advises on selection. The goal is the right leader for a high-stakes seat, not speed or volume, so the process is more consultative and thorough.
Use recruitment for most roles where you have or can attract applicants. Use executive search when the role is senior, sensitive, or hard to fill from the open market, and the cost of a wrong hire is high. Pitch N Hire offers both recruitment and executive search, so you can match the approach to the seniority and risk of each role.
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